Firearm



July 7, 1942 D. M. WILLIAMS 2,289,158

FIREARM Filed oct. 2e, 1940 a sheets-sheer 1 FIREARM Filed Oct. 26, 1940 um bm. mm

July 7, 1942. D. M. WILLIAMS FIREARM Filed Oct. 26, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 7, 1942 UNHED STATES PATENT @FFME Western Cartridge Company,

New Haven,

Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application October 26, 1940, Serial No. 362,941 In Canada October 7, 1940 (Cl. l2-20) 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in firearms, and more particularly to improvements in firearms of the type wherein a receiver and a trigger-plate unit are separable one from the other.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a superior firearm-structure wherein a trigger-plate unit and a receiver are organized together in a simple, reliable and effective manner with capacity for ready separation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a superior firearm-structure embodying separable receiver and trigger-plate units and in which the tension of a firing-spring may be utilized for minimizing vibration between the two said units when the same are assembled together.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a superior firearm-structure wherein a firing-spring is so related to the separable receiver and trigger-plate units as to act to facilitate the separation of the said units.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a superior firearm-structure wherein a firing-spring is organized with a trigger-plate unit so as to be handleable as a part thereof and which firing-spring is automatically tensioned and untensioned respectively by the attachment to and the removal of the said trigger-plate unit with respect to a receiver-unit.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear to those skilled in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art and which are not claimed in any Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a view substantially corresponding to Fig. 1, but showing the trigger-plate unit moved forwardly relative to the receiver-unit under the urge of the firing-spring, preparatory to the complete removal of the said trigger-plate unit from the said receiver-unit;

Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of the receiver-unit detached, together with a portion of the barrel;

Fig. 8 is an underside View thereof;

Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of the triggerplate unit, detached; and

Fig. 10 is a top or plan view thereof.

The particular firearm-structure herein chosen for the purpose 'of illustrating the present invention includes a receiver 2@ from the forward end of which rigidly extends a barrel 2l. Located mainly below the receiver 20 and demountably attached thereto in a manner as will hereinafter appear, is a trigger-plate unit generally designated by the reference character 22.

The receiver 20 includes a top wall 23 and two laterally-spaced-apart side walls 24 and 25 integral with and extending downwardly from the said top wall 23. The top wall 23 together with the side walls 24 and 25 of the receiver 20 provide in the said receiver a downwardly-opening mechanism-receiving chamber 26.

The mechanism-receiving chamber 26 above referred to accommodates a b-reech-bolt 2l' as well as other features of the firearm not requiring illustration or description herein. As indicated in Fig. 1, the breech-bolt 21 has the rear end of a firing-plunger 23 projecting through its rear face for engagement by a hammer in a manner as will hereinafter appear.

At its rear end, the receiver 20 is formed with an integral depending-arm 29 having a guidepassage 39 extending longitudinally of the receiver in a slightly upwardly and forwardly inclined direction. The said guide-passage 30 is generally of cylindrical form save that on each of its respective opposite sides, it is formed with one of two groove-like lateral extensions 3|-3I as is especially well shown in Fig. 3, and for purposes as will more fully hereinafter appear.

About midway of its length the receiver 30 is formed with two opposed coupling-ribs 32 and 33 respectively formed integral with and extending inwardly from the complemental side walls 24 and 25 of the receiver 20 adjacent the lower edge thereof. The said coupling-ribs 32 and 33 slope slightly forwardly and upwardly in conformity with the slope of the under edges of the side walls 24 and 25.

At its forward end and adjacent the barrel 2|, the receiver 2) is formed with an integral depending coupling-lug 34 which is formed at its lower end with a coupling-head 35. The said coupling-head 35 is of substantially-T-shaped form in cross section and is provided on each of its respective opposite sides with one of two coupling-ribs 35 and 31 spaced downwardly from the under face of the coupling-lug 34 proper and extending longitudinally of the firearm on a slope conforming to the slope of the under edge of the side walls 24 and 25 of the receiver 20.

Extending substantially vertically in the coupling-lug 34 and its coupling-head 55 is a downwardly-opening cylindrical pocket 38 in which is adapted to reciprocate a lockingplunger 39 which is urged downwardly by a helical locking-spring 4D, as is shown particularly Well in Fig. 5. As is shown especially well in Fig. l, the rear face of the locking-plunger 39 is formed with a transverse limiting-groove 4| receiving substantially one-half of the diameter of the central portion of a limiting-pin 42 extending transversely across and carried by the coupling-lug 34 before referred to. The said limiting-groove 4| in the locking-plunger 39 is so positioned that its upper end engages with the limiting-pin 42 when the said locking-plunger is at the limit of its desired downward travel, so that the said locking-plunger is prevented from becoming separated from the receiver-unit when the trigger-plate unit 22 is removed therefrom, in a manner as will hereinafter appear.

The locking-plunger 39 above referred to is formed at its lower end with a conically-contoured locking-nose 43 which under normal circumstances is seated in a conically-contoured locking-socket 44 formed substantially vertically in the front crosshead 45 of the trigger-plate unit 22 before referred to. In its upper face, the front crosshead 45 of the trigger-plate unit 22 is formed with a longitudinal coupling-groove 46 of T-shaped form in cross sectionand having on each of its respective opposite sides one of two coupling-ribs 41 and 43 which extend laterally toward each other. The said coupling-ribs 41 and 48 extend substantially longitudinally of the firearm-structure on a slope conforming to the slope of the under edges of the side walls 24 and of the receiver 25, and as is shown particularly well in Fig. 5 the said coupling-lugs are spaced upwardly above the bottom of the coupling-groove 46. The coupling-ribs 41 and 48 are thus positioned to respectively t over the coupling-ribs 36 and 31 of the coupling-head 35 at the lower end of the coupling-lug 34 of the receiver 20. The t between the coupling-ribs and 31 on one hand and the coupling-ribs 41 and 48 on the other hand is such that when the locking-plunger 39 is retired in a manner as will hereinafter appear, the trigger-plate unit 22 may be slid longitudinally with respect to the receiver 22.

Extending rigidly rearwardly from the front crosshead of the trigger-plate unit 22 are two laterally-spaced-apart parallel side-bars 49 and 50 joined together at a point substantially inidway the length of the trigger-plate unit by a rear cross-head 5|. The said crosshead 5| is provided with an upwardly-projecting integral coupling-lug 52 extending upwardly into the open lower portion of the mechanism-receiving chamber 26 in the receiver 25, as is shown especially Well in Fig. 4. On each of its respective opposite sides, the coupling-lug 52 is formed with one of two parallel grooves and 54 respectively receiving the coupling-ribs 32 and 33 respectively formed at the lower ends of the side walls 24 and 25 of the receiver 20, as before described. The 75 formation of the coupling-grooves 53 and 54 just referred to results in the formation at the respective opposite sides of the coupling-lug 52 and adjacent the upper end thereof, of two couplingribs 55 and 56 respectively resting upon the upper surfaces of the coupling-ribs 32 and 33 of the receiver 20, as is especially well shown in Fig. 4.

Formed integral with and projecting rearwardly from the rear crcsshead 5| of the triggerplate unit 22, is a trigger-plate proper 51 having a central-longitudinal groove-like recess 58 in its upper face which recess is intersected by a clearance-passage 59 extending downwardly from the said recess into the interior of the space dened by a loop-like trigger-guard 5i) forming an integral part of the trigger-plate proper 51.

Mounted for swinging movement in the recess 58 and the clearance-passage 5S of the triggerplate proper 51 is a trigger 5| having a fingerpiece 62 located within the space enclosed by the trigger-guard 60, as is shown in the drawings. The said trigger 5| is mounted for pivotal movement upon a pivot-pin 53 extending transversely across and carried by the trigger-plate proper 51. The trigger 6| is also provided with a rigid forwardly-projecting scar-arm 64, between the under face of which and the bottom of the groove-like recess 58 is interposed a helical trigger-spring 65 which exerts a constant effort t0 swing the trigger 6| in a counterclockwise direction.

The Sear-arm 64 of the trigger 6| is provided with a forwardly-facing cooking-abutment 66 which is adapted to releasably engage with a cooking-abutment 51 formed upon a pivotal hammer 68 adjacent the lower end thereof. The said hammer is pivoted upon a pivot-pin 69 extending through the said hammer and supported at its respective opposite ends in the trigger-plate proper 51.

Pivotally connected to the hammer 65 by means of a pivot-pin 1E) is the bifurcated forward end of a hammer-actuating plunger 1| which is formed at its forward end with a deep vertical-longitudinal notch 12 in which the hammer 58 is received.

The hammer-actuating plunger 1| extends substantially horizontally at a slight downward and rearward inclination and is provided at its rear end With a cylindrically-contured stem 13 extending at its rear with a free sliding t into the guide-passage 30 in the lower end of the arm 29 at the rear end of the receiver 20. Encircling the stem 13 of the hammer-actuating plunger 'il is a helical firing-spring 14 which thrusts at its rear end against the forward face of the arm 29 of the receiver 25 and which at its forward end thrusts against a rearwardly-facing spring-seat 15 formed on the said plunger 1| at the point of junction of its stem 13 with the larger size forward portion of the plunger, as is especially well shown in Figs. l, 2, 6, 9 and 10.

To prevent the firing-spring 14 from unintentionally coming off of the rear end of the stem 13 of the hammer-actuating plunger 1| when the trigger-plate unit 22 is demounted from the receiver 25 in a manner as will hereinafter appear, the said stem 13 is provided at its rear end with a transverse spring-retaining pin 15 which projects outwardly from each of the respective opposite sides of the said stem. Clearance for the said spring-retaining pin 15 is provided by the groove-like extension 3|-3I of the guide-passage in the arm 29 of the receiver 20, as is especially well shown in Fig. 3.

As the parts are thus constructed and arranged, the firing-spring 14 tends t0 move the receiver 20 rearwardly with respect to the trigger-plate unit 22 by thrusting upon the arm 29 of the receiver 20. The said firing-spring 14, by virtue of its forward thrust upon the hammeractuating plunger 1I, acts through the intermediary of the pivot-pin l0, hammer 68 and pivotpin 69 to tend to force the trigger-plate unit 22 forwardly relative to the receiver 2l).

The above-referred to thrusts of the firingspring 14 are normally prevented from being effective in shifting the receiver 2D and triggerplate unit 22 relative to each other by the releasable locking-plunger 33.

When it is desired to discharge the firearm, a rearward draft exerted upon the finger-piece 62 of `the trigger 6I will serve to turn the said trigger in a clockwise direction to thus depress its Sear-arm 64 and hence disengage the cocking-abutment 66 of the said sear-arm from the cocking-abutment 61 of the hammer 63.

As soon as the cooking-abutment 66 is disengaged from the cocking-abutment 61, as above described, the hammer 68 will be released and will swing in a clockwise direction at a very rapid rate under the urge 0f the firing-spring 14 acting through the intermediary of the hammer-actul ating plunger 1l. Under the conditions just described, the front edge of the upper portion of the hammer 68 will strike the exposed rear end of the firing-plunger 23 and in a manner well known in the art will effect the discharge of the firearm.

The hammer 68 may be re-cocked by any suitable means not requiring either illustration or description herein.

Should it be desired to demount the triggerplate unit 22 from the receiver 20, such demounting may be effected by thrusting upwardly upon the exposed lower end of the locking-plunger 39 to retire the said locking-plunger upwardly until the under face of its locking-nose 43 is retired to a point above the top of the conical lockingsocket 44 in the front crosshead 45 of the trigger-plate unit 22. The described upward retirement of the locking-plunger 39 may be conveniently effected by inserting the point of a cartridge upwardly through the open lower end of the locking-socket 44.

As soon as the under face of the locking-nose 43 of the locking-plunger 39 is clear of the locking-socket 44, as above described, the ringspring 74 will assert itself and thrust the entire trigger-plate unit 22 and the parts carried thereby forwardly into substantially the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 6. At this time the spring-retaining pin 16 at the rear of the hammer-actuating plunger 'H will move forwardly with the said plunger and engage with the rear end of the firing-spring 14 and thus prevent any further axial expansion of the latter.

It is preferred to so proportion the parts that the hammer-actuating spring 'I4 will not move the trigger-plate unit 22 forwardly to a degree sufficiently to completely disengage the couplingribs 4l and 48 thereof from the coupling-ribs 35 and 31 of the coupling-lug 34 of the receiver 20. The degree 0f movement just referred to will, however, be suicient to move the coupling-ribs and 56 on the coupling-lug 52 forwardly out of engagement with the coupling-ribs 32 and 33 on the receiver 2li as is shown in Fig. 6. It is therefore preferred that the parts be moved by the firing-spring 14 only into substantially the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 6.

After the parts have assumed the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 6, a slight additional forward movement manually imparted to the trigger-plate unit 22 will completely separate the latter from the receiver 2U, and carried along as an assembly with the said trigger-plate unit will be the trigger 6l, hammer 68, hammeractuating plunger` 1| and ring-spring 14, as is shown especially well in Figs. 9 and 10.

Should it be desired, as may be the case under some conditions, the trigger-plate unit 22 and the parts carried thereby may be demounted from the receiver 20 by rst releasing the lockingplunger 39 as before described, and then thrusting rearwardly upon the trigger-plate unit 22 to overcome the tension of the firing-spring 'I4 and so disconnecting the front crosshead 45 from the coupling-lug 34 and disconnecting the coupling-lug 52 from the intermediate portion of the receiver 2B.

To reassemble the receiver 23 and trigger-plate unit 22, the parts may be first reassembled so that they assume the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 6, after which the locking-plunger 39 should be upwardly retired and then the trigger-plate unit may be manually forced rearwardly relative to the receiver 2l). When during the rearward movement 0f the trigger-plate unit 22 the locking-socket 44 inthe forward end of the latter is brought into registration with the locking-nose 43 of the locking-plunger 39, the latter will snap downwardly under the urge of the locking-spring 4l) and re-enter the said lockingsocket 44 to the full extent when the parts have been moved into the relative positions in which they are shown especially well in Fig. l.

When the trigger-plate unit 22 and receiver 20 are assembled together, the firing-spring 14 not only serves to actuate the hammer B8, but also serves to minimize vibration between the said receiver 2l] and trigger-plate unit 22. Furthermore, the said firing-spring 14 may be utilized to facilitate the demounting of the triggerplate unit 22 from the receiver 23 in a manner as has been above described.

By terminating the trigger-plate unit 22 short of the rear end of the receiver 2E) and causing the hammer-actuating plunger ll, or its equivalent, to bridge over, so to speak, between the two said elements, it is possible to minimize the weight of the assembly and, at the same time, avoid the need for too deeply cutting away such a stock as may be applied to the firearm. The construction and arrangement of parts as shown by avoiding the necessity for too deeply cutting away the material of a stock enables the said stock to be materially strengthened at the critical point adjacent the rear end of the receiver 20.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. A firearm-structure including in combination: a receiver; a trigger-plate unit adjacent the said receiver and removable therefrom by a forward movement with respect thereto ,'couplingmeans for holding rthe said receiver and the said trigger-plate unit Aagainstlateral separation and constructed and arranged 'tobe releasahle by a relative forward movement of the said triggerrplate unit with respect to the said receiver; a firing-mechanism organ'izedwith'the said trigger-plate unit soas to .be .demountable therewith from the said receiver; a firing-spring for actuating the said ring-rne'chanisml and thrusting rearwardly against the said receiverto urge the same rearwardly with respect to the said trigger-y plate unit, the said firing-spring also thrusting yforwardly against the said trigger-plate unit to l urge the sameforwardly with respect to the said receiver torelease the aforesaid' coupling-means;

Y and locking-means normally releasably holding the .said trigger-plate vunit vagainst* forward movement with respect to thesaid receiver.

2. A firearm-structure including in combination: a receiver; Aa trigger-plate .unit adjacent the said receiver and renlovalzvle therefrom by a forward movement withy respect thereto; coupling-means for holding the said receiver and the said trigger-plate unit'a'gainstlateral separation and constructed and arranged to be releasable by a relative forward. movement of the said trigger-plate unit with respect to the .said

receiver; a firing-mechanism organized with the said trigger-plate unit soas `to loe demcuntable therewith from the said receiver; al firing-spring for actuating the said firing-mechanism and thrusting rearwardly a-gainstthe said receiver to urge the same rearwardly-with respect to the said trigger-plate unit, the said firing-spring also .thrusting forwardly against thev said triggerf plate unit to urge the vsame fo-rwardlywith respectto thev said receiver to release the aforesaid coupling-means; releasably holding the said trigger-plate unit against forward movement with respect to the said receiver, and retaining-means for retaining the said firing-spring in organized relationship to the said trigger-plate unit when the latter is separated from the said receiver.

3. A rearm-structure including in combination: a receiver having a depending arm adjacent its rear end; a trigger-plate unit adjacent the said receiver and located forwardly of the depending arm thereof; coupling-means holding the said receiver and the said trigger-plate unit against lateral separation and constructed and arranged to be releasable by a relative forward movement of the said trigger-plate unit with respect to the said receiver; a firing-mechanism organized with the said trigger-plate unit so as to be demountable therewith from the said receiver and also located forwardly of the depending arm of the said receiver; a firing-spring for actuating the said ring-mechanism and thrusting simultaneously rearwardly against the depending arm of the said receiver and forwardly against the said trigger-plate unit to release the aforesaid coupling-means; and locking-means locking-means normally normally-releasably holding the said triggerplate unit against forward movement rwith respect to the said receiver.

' 4; A firearm-structure including iny combination: a receiver having a depending arm adjacent its rear end; a trigger-plate unit adjacent 'the said receiver and locatedv forwardly of the depending arm thereof; coupling-means for holding the said receiver and the said triggerplate unit against lateral separation and conf structed and arranged to be releasable by a relative forward movement of the said trigger-plate unit with respect tothe said receiver; a firingmechanism organized with the said .trigger-plate unit soy as tok be demountalole therewith from the said receiver Aandalso located forwardly of the depending arm ofthe said receiver;

the depending arm of the'said receiverand forwardly against the` said trigger-plate unit to release-the aforesaid .coupling-means;

trigger-plate unit against forward movement with respectto the said receiver; andk retainingmeans for retaining the said firing-spring in rorganized relationship to the said trigger-plate unitwhen the latter is separated fromfthe said receiver by a relative forward. movement with respect thereto.

5. A firearm-structure including in ycombination: a receiver having a depending arm adjacent its rear end, thesaid arm being formed with` a guide-passage; a trigger-plate unit removably secured to the saidreceiver `and locatedforwardly of the depending arm thereof; coupling-means for holding the said receiver and v the said trigger-plate unitagainst lateral` separation and constructed and arranged to be releasablepy a relative forward movement of thev said trigger-plate unit with respect to the said receiver; a hammer pivoted to the said triggerplate unit; a sear also pivoted to the said trigger-plate unit and coacting with the said hammer to releasably hold the same in its cocked position; a hammer-actuating plunger pivoted adjacent its forward end to the said hammer and having a rear portion reciprocatable in the guide-passage in the depending arm of the said receiver; a firing-spring mounted upon the said hammer-actuating plunger and simultaneously thrusting forwardly thereon and rearwardly against the depending arm of the said receiver; spring-retaining means carried by the said hammer-actuting plunger adjacent the rear end thereof to retain the said firing-spring on the said hammer-actuating plunger when the said trigger-plate unit, together with the parts pivoted thereto, is demounted from the said receiver; and locking-means normally releasably holding the said trigger-plate unit against forward movement with respect to the said receiver.

DAVID M. WILLIAMS a ring'- `spring for actuating the said ring-mechanism and thrusting simultaneously rearwardly against lockingmeans normallyl releasably holding @the 'said 

